Top 10 Best New Orleans Tours to Take During Essence Festival
Experience the vibrant tapestry of culture, history, and music with New Orleans tours. Wander through the cobblestone streets of the French Quarter, where jazz melodies waft through the air and the scent of Cajun cuisine fills the alleys. Explore the city’s rich history on a guided tour of iconic landmarks like the St. Louis Cathedral and Jackson Square. Delve into the mysterious realms of voodoo and ghosts with hauntingly captivating tours of the city’s supernatural past. Indulge in the flavors of the Crescent City with culinary tours that showcase the diverse and delectable cuisine, from gumbo to beignets. Whether you’re drawn to the music, food, history, or mystery, New Orleans tours offer an unforgettable journey through the heart and soul of this enchanting city. Check out the top 10 bests tours to experience in New Orleans:
1. New Orleans Swamp Tour Boat Adventure
Immerse yourself in the rich culture and natural splendor of New Orleans’ mystifying swamps and wetlands on a New Orleans swamp tour and wetlands adventure. Relax in the luxurious interior of a New Orleans swamp tour boat as you cruise past cultural highlights like a Cajun cemetery, an Indian burial mound and a traditional fishing village. Scour the scenery for fascinating flora and fauna like snakes, turtles and alligators while listening to interesting commentary from your professional guide.
2. New Orleans Swamp and Bayou Boat Tour with Transportation
Explore one of Louisiana’s last protected wetlands on a 2-hour boat tour that includes round-trip transport from New Orleans. Depart in the morning or afternoon for Honey Island Swamp, a wildlife preserve teeming with critters such as ‘gators, wild boar, snakes and birds. Ride through the swamp dripping with lush foliage and visit a boat-accessible Cajun village with an informative local guide who sheds light on the area’s inhabitants.
3. New Orleans City Tour: Katrina, French Quarter, Garden District
Gaze at the spectacular sights of New Orleans from the comfort of a luxury coach on an unforgettable 3-hour city tour. With a professional guide, cruise past historical highlights like the French Quarter and the Garden District while listening to illuminating commentary. See the the lakefront area and the 17th street canal where the canal bank was breached by hurricane Katrina, and delve into the city’s rich history as you take a tour of one of the oldest cemeteries in New Orleans. Enjoy the convenience of round-trip transportation from your hotel in Downtown New Orleans on this informative tour.
4. New Orleans Zipline Swamp Tour
Enjoying a thrilling and high-octane way to immerse yourself in Louisiana’s wild swamp ecosystems—and try out a range of courses and options—with this zipline experience. Pick from one of many available start times, make your own way to the Maurepas Swamp near Lake Ponchartrain and get suited up in your gear. From the cypress treetops, try out five different ziplines, a suspension bridge, and more.
5. Three-Hour City Tour of New Orleans by Minibus
Although not your typical tour of New Orleans, this expedition through the Big Easy takes in some of the major points of interest, including the French Quarter, Treme, the Esplanade, the Garden District and the Metairie Cemetery. Relax in air-conditioned minibus comfort, and listen as a guide leads you through one of America’s most historic cities.
6. New Orleans Hop-On Hop-Off Unlimited Sightseeing Package
Save money on your New Orleans adventures with this sightseeing package that includes two walking tours and a 3-day, hop-on hop-off bus ticket for a very affordable price. You’ll get a guided tour of the Garden District and the French Quarter with a 3-day bus ticket that lets you explore the city as you wish.
7. The National WWII Museum Admission Ticket New Orleans
Witness a different side of New Orleans’s history on a visit to the dynamic National WWII Museum. While away the hours exploring wartime artifacts and discovering fascinating facts and histories at this world-class museum — considered one of the top museums in the nation!
8. New Orleans Airboat Ride
Experience New Orleans’ wild bayou country on an exciting, family‐friendly airboat ride. This boat tour winds through the mossy cypress swamp close to Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, named for the 19th‐century pirate and smuggler. While onboard, enjoy lively commentary from a native guide as you admire lush, forested shoreline and spot local wildlife. Both self-drive and hotel pickup options are available, and hotel pickups begin 75 minutes prior to tour time.
9. Swamp Boat Ride and Oak Alley Plantation Tour from New Orleans
Experience the civilized and the wild on a plantation tour and educational swamp boat ride from New Orleans. On this full-day journey, visit Oak Alley Plantation or Destrehan Plantation (depending on time chosen) where you’ll learn about antebellum life. At Oak Alley, stroll down its iconic tree-lined esplanade. Next, head into the marshy swampland for a boat ride and some wildlife spotting. Enjoy guided commentary as you snap photos of alligators, raccoons, snakes and native birds.
10. New Orleans Food Walking Tour of the French Quarter with Small-Group Option
Get more from the city by exploring New Orleans’ food culture with a guide. Stop by some of the French Quarter’s most famous restaurants for some of the area’s most delicious food. Enjoy tastings that could include seafood gumbo, Creole brisket, and beignets. Learn fun facts from your guide as you walk along the city streets, and if you choose, upgrade to a small-group tour with no more than 13 guests.